Solve vibrational loosening problems and help align screws in pre-tapped holes

Assemblies using pre-tapped holes often face a dual challenge: preventing vibrational loosening and achieving precise alignment during installation.

Vibrational loosening is typically addressed with additional locking elements such as adhesives or patches, increasing both cost and assembly complexity. POWERLOK® screws eliminate that need — delivering immediate and continuous all-metal locking action in tapped holes, with robust resistance to loosening across severe operating conditions.

Alignment during installation onto pre-tapped holes is especially challenging when nut members are made from soft metals such as copper or aluminum, or in automated and robotic assembly lines. Misalignment in these scenarios can lead to failures that compromise joint performance. MATpoint® is the proven solution to prevent misalignment problems.

POWERLOK® + MATpoint®

The innoative fastener to prevent both cross-threading and vibrational loosening

Using POWERLOK® combined with MATpoint® delivers significant performance and productivity benefits, especially where misalignment and orientation difficulties are present.

Recommended applications:

  • Automated and robotic assemblies.
  • Nut members are made from soft metals such as copper or aluminum.
  • Installation in horizontal position.
  • Components with high electrical grounding requirements.
  • Plastic injection molded covers, especially where multiple covers must be joined.
  • Assemblies involving heavy screws, such as those with washers or longer screws.

 

This combination is available with POWERLOK® and POWERLOK® II™ screws.

How POWERLOK® + MATpoint® enhance your product and assembly process?​

Product

✔ Robust and durable joints in service conditions

  • Superior vibrational loosening resistance in pre-tapped holes.
  • Loosening resistance remains stable at high temperature.

 

✔ No chips generation

  • In soft alloy applications, misalignment can cause chips.
  • Chips can represent serious problems in hydraulic, optical or electronic applications.

 

✔ Reusability

  • Allows repeated insertions and removals without losing locking effectiveness, and eliminating the risk of cross-threading.

    *This combination is available with POWERLOK® and POWERLOK® II™ screws.

 

Assembly process

✔ Faster assembly process

  • No need to reduce assembly speed or opposite turn to ensure alignment.
     

✔ Cleaner assembly

  • Compatible with technical cleanliness (unlike metric screws with patch).
  • No contamination of feeding system (as adhesive patch does).
     

✔ Cost reduction

  • No cross-threading, false-threading or component misalignment.
  • No stripping.
  • Less line stoppages and scrap reduction, result in higher productivity.
  • Eliminates the need for additional locking elements (such as mechanical or adhesive patches).

How to avoid misalignment in pre-tapped metal hole assemblies?

Cross threading
Cross threading
False threading
False threading
Component misalignment
Component misalignment

Cross-threading

Cross-threading problem

Cross-threading is a frequent assembly issue that occurs when the screw and the pre-tapped female thread are misaligned during installation. When this happens, there are two failure outcomes:

  • If the nut member is made of very hard metal, the assembly will become blocked.
  • If it is made of a softer metal or light alloy, the threads can be damaged, which often leads to thread stripping.

 

Horizontal installations increase misalignment risk because gravity causes screws to tilt as they enter the hole.

 

Solutions

MATpoint®

Adding MATpoint® to screws eliminates the risk of cross-threading, enhances assembly reliability, reduces scrap and rework costs, and protects component integrity - making these screws ideal for automated, high-speed, and critical applications.

 

POWERLOK® / POWERLOK® II™ threads

POWERLOK® screws are proven solutions for assembling components exposed to severe vibration and expansion/contraction cycles in all-metal tapped holes, without the need for extra locking elements. The locking action remains stable at high operating temperatures.

 

False threading

False threading

False threading can occur even when the screw and nut are well aligned. This issue often originates from imperfections in the female threads particularly when those threads are formed by rolling rather than cutting.

Depending on the hardness of the nut, this can result in:

  • The screw may block, preventing further assembly.

  • The female threads may be deformed or damaged, leading to thread stripping and compromised joint integrity.

Solutions

MATpoint®

MATpoint® slides past peak defects in nut threads, eliminating the risk of false threading and ensuring faster, more reliable assemblies with a lower risk of rework or scrap.

 

POWERLOK® / POWERLOK® II™ threads

POWERLOK® screws provide excellent resistance to vibration-induced loosening and eliminate the need for additional locking elements. The locking action is not affected by high temperatures.



 

Component misalignment

Cover misalignment problem

Component misalignment can occur in systems involving large parts or multiple covers that must be joined:

  • If the cover is made of a soft material (e.g. plastic, aluminum or cooper), the screw threads may cut into the material.

  • In the case of harder covers (e.g., steel), the screw can be damaged or deflected, increasing the risk of cross-threading or even leading to mechanical jamming.

Solutions

MATpoint®

MATpoint® rounded threads allows the screw to glide across misaligned holes, ensures full, reliable engagement even in challenging assembly conditions, while protecting both the screw and cover from accidental damage.

POWERLOK® / POWERLOK® II™ threads

POWERLOK® screws provide immediate and continuous locking action, maintaining clamping force and offering exceptional vibration resistance without the need for additional locking elements. The locking action remains stable at high operating temperatures.